Feb 19 2011
Wisconsin Shows Government Workers Unwilling To Sacrifice
The Wisconsin showdown appears to be a straw that breaks the patience of the American people. I need only point out a few simple math facts for the liberal numskulls on the left to see why the anger being shown by the protesters pails in comparison to what is building up in the minds of parents and voters.
First off, the changes being made by the governor and the legislature (yes, the people’s house and senate do agree and will pass these measures) are modest. Having to personally invest in your health care and retirement is not a major sacrifice. Demanding the rest of us who have to make our own living outside the leech that is government is tantamount to a spoiled child pouting. Yes Wisconsin government employees – you need to pay your own way here.
The left has made a huge mistake on this issue – everyone must chip in to get us through this tragedy of bloated and incompetent government and the economic destruction is has wrought. Those who refuse will be ostracized for a long, long time. Politically, getting on the wrong side of this will result in a swift ride into oblivion.
And politically speaking, the protesters are missing the math. For every teacher whining they have to share the burden of THEIR health care costs and THEIR retirement there are 20+ families whose kids are getting a substandard education and being told they must foot the bill for the teachers’ benefits. That means 40 voters (assuming to parents) per stubborn teacher calling in sick and putting their lazy greed over that of the children.
But even worse is the number of people who do not work in the government and have to invest in their own health care and retirement AND pay for these greedy government workers as well. The private sector is much larger than those living off the public dole. And we all know where the vast majority of them are going to come down.
The need for public employee unions is a farce. As the governor and others have noted many times, these workers are protected by civil servant laws – not through collective bargaining. By giving the voters the finger here, they have shown how collective stupidity can result in the broad (and right) conclusion unions do not belong in the public work place where a few malcontents can hold the voters hostage.
Thankfully, since the voters and their legislatures control the civil service laws, this problem can be easily and readily dealt with. And no court in the land can overturn the will of the people when it comes to cutting back government waste and abuse.
Those who exist off the labors of the private sector workers took to the street of Wisconsin to claim they are better than the rest of us poor saps. The next message will be the response from all those poor saps making a living in the private sector, and it will not be pro-union.
Addendum: After reading Governor Palin’s plea to average union workers I want to expand on something important. Palin rightfully lauds the work of teachers having so many in her family (as do I). These people have our most precious treasures to teach and help.
But let me establish some context here. Doctors and nurses also have special gifts and capabilities that can save our children from disease or injury. Can a teacher cure cancer in a child? No, they cannot. The car mechanic down the street makes sure our vehicles are safe and in tip top operating form. Can a teacher make sure the brakes are working on your car? My guess is only a minority have the skills and interest. Can a teacher the computers and software being used to teach the children? My experience has been many teachers are fairly technology illiterate – definitely not up to the standards of leading the market in computer system evolution.
The point is the private sector has its fair share of unsung heroes. So when the unions stomp their petulant little feet in a fit of greed, don’t expect the aura of the teacher to carry the day. Not when it is in direct conflict with all those other average citizens doing their jobs and getting by as best they can. This is not unions verses GOP – this is public workers verses private sector workers. And we all know which side as the larger numbers and greater political clout.
I believe the Government Unions (and we should be specific, it is the Government Unions over all others who are rioting and attempting to disrupt government over this challenge to their power) realize that if they give up and lose this battle, they will be put on a downhill slope from which they can never recover. They may be correct in that assessment. For this reason, they are going to throw *Everything* they have against this – that’s why they are busing in protesters from Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota, that’s why they will call on every media and government resource they can to stop this. For them, this is a life and death struggle, and that means it is the same thing for us. If they win here, we, the taxpaying public, will be in slavery to them from now on – THEY will be the ones who call the shots, not us. That is their goal.
and THAT is what this is really about.
Of course, now that they are calling in all their reinforcements, Walker’s allies and the tea party proponents *have* to call in reinforcements of their own. I’m curious to see if some significant counter-protests can get off the ground, that will be very telling. And then of course the Unions & the Democrat Party (but I repeat myself) will double down and throw everything they have left into it, and that will in turn bring about a counter-reaction. This beginning reminds me of the Battle of Gettysburg; that battle started when a small Federal unit of Cavalry scouts ran into a small Confederate force of Cavalry. First one side called in reinforcements, then the other, and before anyone in command really realized what was happening the entire forces of 2 huge armies were totally committed to a small, previously insignificant crossroads out in the country. And once they had committed, there was no backing down for either of them.
of course, that’s how great battles usually start – at times and places that neither side intends. Such is war, and make no mistake, this IS war we are engaged in now.
This thing going on in Wisconsin could end up being even bigger than any of us realize yet – this looks like the opening salvo in the Great Entitlements War. This could very well be our generation’s Fort Sumter, the moment when two bitter opponents realize that there is no longer any compromise possible. As Michelle Malkin has written, Apocolypse Now – there is no turning back, not for any of us.
Victory or Surrender, the only options left to any of us.
Excellent post.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Suhr Mesa and Free To Prosper, AJ Strata. AJ Strata said: new: Wisconsin Shows Government Workers Unwilling To Sacrifice http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/15946 […]
AJ and WWS, good posts. You’ve described how I feel about this protest. I am appalled at how the students and parents support the teacher’s unions. I have scratched my head more than once to trying to figure out how the governments can finance the pensions, salary increases, and benefits while those in the private sectors are struggling with less benefits, small salary raises, etc., or have no jobs.
Some are calling this “Ground Zero” and spreading across the entire nation. I also read just a few minutes ago that two unions in Wisconsin have offered some concessions: agree to the payroll deductions but keep the collective bargaining.
If I were in Walker’s shoes, I wouldn’t capitulate to these concessions.
How are the counter-protests coming along?
Lurk, Jim Hoft from GatewayPundit is reporting in from “Ground Zero” in Wisconsin. Thousands are there to support Gov. Walker according to Jim. http://www.GatewayPundit.rightnetwork.com.
Great post, AJ.
[…] regarded espionage novels in his spare time. And he is full of bonhomie toward more… Wisconsin Shows Government Workers Unwilling To Sacrifice – strata-sphere.com 02/19/2011 The Wisconsin showdown appears to be a straw that breaks the […]
The issues and events which really stick out to me in this whole affair are:
(1) The “sick out” by the teachers.
Here we have certain “teachers” (I use that term loosely) lying about their health in order to attend a protest, and by doing so shutting down their schools. So, in the future, when a student lies about homework or a test, what gives these “teachers” any moral authority at all? It’s like an adult telling a child not to smoke, and saying it with a big cigarette hanging out of their mouth.
(2) The cowardly departure of the Dem state senators.
The effect of their action is to say to the voters “we don’t care how you voted, we’re going to shut down the government”. And what moral high-ground will they hold if in the future someone decides to disobey a state law or statute? Or if government employees decide not to show up for work? “Hey the state Senators don’t have show up and they get to keep their jobs, so why should I?”
I hope somebody busts them on YouTube drinking and partying in a Chicago bar…that would be sweet!
(3) The violent rhetoric being bandied about by the activist union members.
I note that the Hitler/Dictator crap is pretty much the same stuff these people were peddling against George Bush, so I guess they think it will work again in 2011. But, Gabriel Giffords was shot only weeks ago – can be blame the unions if Scott Walker gets injured by a rogue? I pray that it does not come down to that…
Here is walker’s email and phone if you want to send support:
govgeneral@wisconsin.gov Phone: (608) 266-1212
Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit says there are thousands in Wisc. in support of Gov. Walker!
Archtop, all the Masques are coming off. True Faces are being revealed on every side. These are the times that we see for ourselves just Who and What *Everyone* – and *Every Organization* – Truly Is.
It is almost tempting to step back and marvel at the wonder of it all – times like these only come around once every couple of generations, if that often, and we may have to go back to 1848 to find a year when Revolution and War were so palpably in the air across the world. 1914 and 1939 were top down events – this is a true Bottom Up event. Scary, because sometimes these go right and sometimes (France, 1789) these go Very, Very, Badly.
And I’m left with the thought “So this is what it’s like to live through History.” And because of that, I have the very strong sense that this is just the opening blow in a war that is going to be far greater and last far longer – and cost us far, far more in pain as well as money – than any of us dare to imagine right now.
It has to happen, but I’d be a fool to look forward to it.
It’s time for a Reagan moment. The local school boards should give the teachers 24 hours to get back to work and those who do not comply should be fired for reason and replaced with people who are willing to work. If state tenure laws prevent that the gov. and legislature shoud remedy the situation immediately. This problem is not just in WI. Here in TN a local school board asked the teachers to forgo their pormised 3% raise in order to save the jobs of 6,000 teachers. The teachers voted almost 100% against it. Selfish is what they are. they don’t care about anyone but themselves and that includes the kids.
I just read that the WI Dems and unions may be starting to cave in as they are realizing that the tea party and Americans are against them.
What’s funny is that these TN teachers got the chance to vote on it. We in the private sectors never had any opportunities to vote on these things!
According to the latest news, we have the crowning achievement in left wing morality and setting examples for our kids…doctors giving fake notes to union members!
So, on top of showing our kids that it’s OK not to show up to work when your not sick, we’re showing them that it’s OK to commit fraud. Way to go, teacher’s union!
My prediction…the unions have lost this battle, and have lost it BIG TIME. They will hammer out an agreement with the governor and give him 99% of what he wanted…
On another blog, a commenter compared this situation to the end of Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail. The federal Unions and their Dem sponsors could have chosen respect for the voters, acknowledgment of the new situation, respect for the voters. That outcome was in their grasp. Simple, direct, it would have earned them widespread respect. Instead, they have reached for the Flashy, Showy, Grail of demonstrations, street protests, and open political obstruction, and they have put their contempt for the choices made last November on open display.
Currently, it is making them all feel very powerful to do so.
But after the initial euphoria wears off, they are going to find that they have chosen…. poorly. And all that they have, and all that they hope for, is going to crumble to dust before their eyes.
“This is not unions verses GOP – this is public workers verses private sector workers. And we all know which side as the larger numbers and greater political clout.”
We have a President who believes that capitalism is evil. The private sector is overrun with greed. It needs to be absorbed by the public sector. The government is more ‘fair and efficient’. This helps explain why he felt that the stimulus would work and also why he wants the government to take over the health care system along with so much of the economy.
Of course, it would help him politically. He would convert these greedy people into supporters.
It occurs to me that the Democrat Party has become so thoroughly enmeshed with Government that it is indeed, for all intents and purposes, the “Government Party” now.
This means, of course that any attempt to cut spending in ANY are is going to be perceived as an attack on the Democrat Party. It also means that there are NO cuts they can support, except possibly cuts to active duty military personnel, who Democrats hate.
Nothing to do about that except understand why they are going to scream and howl so loud at everything. But for the rest of us to survive, they HAVE to be defeated.
wws, like calling “GM” cars as “Government Motors” cars, you need to come up with a better name for the “Democratic Party”….replace “Democratic” with “D_____________” Party to better reflect its ideology of socialism.
Claire McCaskill….two – four years ago, she was gaga over Obama and backing him up on increased spending. Now? She’s espousing spending cuts.
Boy, she must be really concerned about her 2012 election odds. I hope the voters of Missouri will still have a long enough memory to remember her “gaga” comments of Obama and vote her out.
So moveon.org came out with an ad defending abortions? Sick babies?
Did you hear what Graham said this morning…something about referendum and that the unions have lost? Even though the demonstrators are planning another slumber party, looks like the momentum is dissipating…
The Wisconsin Senate requires 20 members for a quorum. There are 19 Republican Senators. Dems lost 4 seats in the last elections.
There is a move afoot in two Senate districts to begin recall proceedings against two of the Senators. Recalling even one of them prevents the Democrats doing this again.
Also, 16 Wisconsin Senate seats are up for election next year evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. If the Democrats lose a single seat, they are irrelevant in the Wisconsin Senate.
Look at Virginia. Collective bargaining by public employees is against the law. Very few public employees are union members. Virginia schools consistently outperform schools in places like California where the teachers get more money and are unionized. Simply paying teachers more money and benefits does NOT translate into better education.
The argument that paying teachers more provides a better education would have to rely on one of more of the following:
1. The teachers we have now are incompetent so we need more money to hire the competent ones.
2. The teachers are intentionally producing stupid children because they are unhappy with their wages and will stop doing that if you pay them more.
3. Forget about what we said about hiring competent teachers the last time we asked you to fork over more money for pay raises, apparently we didn’t get any.
4. The most important thing in improving education is parental involvement, so get involved for fork over more money, damnit! And don’t complain or we will make your kids stupid.
From Powerline, here are the supposed “union-busting” parts of the proposed legislation:
– End collective bargaining for government unions for pensions and benefits. Allow bargaining only for raises that are less than inflation.
– End forced union dues, collected by the state. Union dues would become voluntary.
– Union members get to vote yearly on whether to keep their union.
Setting aside #1 for a moment, why are #2, and #3 union-busting? If a union is a useful organization (and I believe in an ideal world it CAN be), then workers would be very happy to sign up every year for union membership and pay their dues. Do you think that, perhaps, some workers would start to feel that they weren’t getting their money’s worth from the union? And when is forcing someone to join an organization they don’t want to join considered “fair”??
Hang on one little minute. Government employees work at the pleasure of the people. If the people decide that they can no longer afford them or their demands, surely we can fire them. Donna Brazil forgets who the employer is and who are the employees.
you got that backwards, Kathie, the People work, live, and die at the pleasure of the Government Employees.
or at least that’s what they think.
In 2003, Texas Democrats, the so-called “Killer Bees” staged a very similar walkout over redistricting. If memory serves, they shut down the votes for 60 some days.
Today there are so few Democrats left in either the Texas State House or Senate that it really doesn’t matter what they think about anything. Looks like voters heard the message loud and clear.